Oklahoma Superintendent defends education policies in CNN interview

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters spoke out about education policies in a recent interview with CNN. He praised the Trump administration for dismantling the Department of Education. Walters emphasized that parents should have the authority to make decisions for their children's education rather than bureaucrats. During the interview, CNN anchor Brianna Keilar pointed out concerns about the decline in math and reading scores among fourth graders in Oklahoma. Walters responded by stating that urban students had improved their scores by nearly 20 ranking points over the last two years. However, Keilar argued that there were still issues with the state's education system. Walters accused CNN of spreading lies and claimed that the discussions were influenced by a left-wing agenda. He dismissed Keilar’s points about bipartisan concerns regarding education management. Keilar then raised issues about Walters' administration, suggesting that it had left teachers uncertain about funding. Walters remained defiant, blaming the left for negative portrayals of his leadership. He vowed to continue pushing an "America First" agenda and insisted that their successes would lead to significant changes in education policy in the future.